Dual lens camera unit

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the invention relate to a portable digital video system sized to be worn on the user&#39;s body and equipped with a plurality of lens assemblies for recording video in a plurality of directions. In one embodiment, the invention includes a camera unit comprising a first lens assembly, a second lens assembly, a first housing containing the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly, a battery unit, a first storage memory, controller circuitry operable to receive video data from the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly and store the video data in the first storage memory, and a second housing containing the battery unit and attached via a cable to the first housing unit. In some embodiments, the system is equipped with both volatile and non-volatile memory for continuous recording with permanent storage of key video segments.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/517,226,filed Oct. 17, 2014, which is a continuation-in-part application U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/967,151, filed Aug. 14, 2013, now U.S.Pat. No. 9,2533,452, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference in their entirety into the present application.

Embodiments and/or features of the invention described in the presentdocument may be used with the subject matter disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. No. 8,781,292, filed Sep. 27, 2013, issued Jul. 15,2014, and entitled “COMPUTER PROGRAM, METHOD, AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGINGMULTIPLE DATA RECORDING DEVICES” (“the '292 Patent”), which is acontinuation application of the '151 Application. The '292 Patent ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into the presentapplication.

Embodiments and/or features of the invention described in the presentdocument may be used with the subject matter disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/040,329, filed Sep. 27,2013, and entitled “PORTABLE VIDEO AND IMAGING SYSTEM” (“the '329Application”); and commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/040,006, filed Sep. 27, 2013, and entitled “MOBILE VIDEO AND IMAGINGSYSTEM” (“the '006 Application”). The '329 Application and the '006Application are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety intothe present application.

Further, embodiments and/or features of the invention described in thepresent document may be used with the subject matter disclosed incommonly assigned and concurrently filed U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/517,368 filed Oct. 17, 2014, and entitled “FORENSIC VIDEORECORDING WITH PRESENCE DETECTION,” and with concurrently filed andcommonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/517,160 filed Oct.17, 2014, and entitled “BREATH ANALYZER, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAMFOR AUTHENTICATING, PRESERVING, AND PRESENTING BREATH ANALYSIS DATA.”Each of the concurrently filed patent applications is also acontinuation-in-part of the '151 Application. The concurrently filedpatent applications are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety into the present application.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Embodiments of the invention relate to a multi-lens camera unit forrecording video images. More particularly, embodiments of the inventionrelate to a portable digital video system sized to be worn on the user'sbody and equipped with a plurality of lens assemblies for recordingvideo in a plurality of directions.

2. Related Art

There is a need for wearable video recording devices for purposes suchas law enforcement, as prior devices are limited to capturing video in asingle direction. Thus, in the case of a head-mounted unit, eventsoccurring behind and to a side of the user are not recorded.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention solve the above problem by providing anapparatus and method for a wearably sized, multi-lens digital recorder.In a first embodiment, the invention includes a camera unit comprising afirst lens assembly, a second lens assembly, a first housing containingthe first lens assembly and the second lens assembly, a battery unit, afirst storage memory, controller circuitry operable to receive videodata from the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly and storethe video data in the first storage memory, and a second housingcontaining the battery unit and attached via a cable to the firsthousing unit.

A second embodiment includes a method of controlling the operation of acamera unit comprising the steps of storing imagery from a first lensassembly and a nonparaxial second lens assembly to a first storagememory, receiving a trigger signal in response to a trigger event,transferring an imagery from the first storage memory to a secondstorage memory, and in response to the trigger signal, storing imageryfrom the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly to the secondstorage memory.

A third embodiment of the invention includes a dual-lens cameraapparatus, comprising a camera housing including a plurality ofnon-paraxial lens assemblies, a battery housing connected by a cable tothe camera housing and providing power thereto, a volatile memory, and anon-volatile memory.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the detaileddescription. This summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspectsand advantages of the current invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanyingdrawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 depicts a system diagram showing the components of one embodimentof the invention;

FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) depict a first and second view of one embodiment ofthe invention with the lenses fixedly mounted in a reciprocalorientation;

FIGS. 3(a)-3(c) depict a first and a second view of another embodimentof the invention with the lenses rotatably mounted and shown in a skeworientation;

FIGS. 4(a)-4(c) depict a variety of exemplary lens orientations; and

FIG. 5 depicts a flowchart illustrating the operation of one embodimentof the invention.

The drawing figures do not limit the invention to the specificembodiments disclosed and described herein. The drawings are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearlyillustrating the principles of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject matter of embodiments of the invention is described indetail below to meet statutory requirements; however, the descriptionitself is not intended to limit the scope of claims. Rather, the claimedsubject matter might be embodied in other ways to include differentsteps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in thisdocument, in conjunction with other present or future technologies.Minor variations from the description below will be obvious to oneskilled in the art and are intended to be captured within the scope ofthe claimed invention. Terms should not be interpreted as implying anyparticular ordering of various steps described unless the order ofindividual steps is explicitly described.

The following detailed description of embodiments of the inventionreferences the accompanying drawings that illustrate specificembodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments areintended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Otherembodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is,therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of embodimentsof the invention is defined only by the appended claims, along with thefull scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In this description, references to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or“embodiments,” mean that the feature or features being referred to areincluded in at least one embodiment of the technology. Separatereference to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “embodiments,” inthis description do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and arealso not mutually exclusive unless so stated and/or except as will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Forexample, a feature, structure, or act described in one embodiment mayalso be included in other embodiments, but is not necessarily included.Thus, the technology can include a variety of combinations and/orintegrations of the embodiments described herein.

Embodiments of the invention may be embodied as, among other subjectmatter, a method, a system, or a set of instructions embodied on one ormore computer-readable media. Computer-readable media include bothvolatile and nonvolatile media, removable and nonremovable media, andcontemplate media readable by a database. For example, computer-readablemedia include (but are not limited to) RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory orother memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile discs (DVD),holographic media or other optical disc storage, magnetic cassettes,magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage, and other magnetic storagedevices. These technologies can store data temporarily or permanently.However, unless explicitly specified otherwise, the term“computer-readable media” should not be construed to include physical,but transitory, forms of signal transmission such as radio broadcasts,electrical signals through a wire, or light pulses through a fiber-opticcable. Examples of stored information include computer-useableinstructions, data structures, program modules, and other datarepresentations.

Different forms of computer-readable media store data in different ways.For example, volatile storage media such as RAM may retain data only aslong as it is powered, while non-volatile media such as flash memoryretain data even when powered off. Furthermore, some forms of computerstorage media are write-once, read many (WORM), such that data can bestored to them but not erased or overwritten. For some forms of WORMmedia, data can be recorded in multiple sessions, where the data fromone session is appended to the data from the previous session. Otherforms of media may be indefinitely rewriteable. Some forms of media maybe encrypted, such that data is written to them encrypted by anencryption key (which can correspond to the device, the user, or beunique in some other way) and data read from them is scrambled unlessdecrypted with the corresponding decryption key.

Additionally, storage media can be made tamper-resistant such that it isdifficult or impossible to alter or erase data stored to them, or toprevent reading data except by authorized means. WORM media or encryptedmedia, as described above are one way to make storage media tamperresistant. Another way is to make storage media physically difficult toremove, such as by covering them with epoxy after they have beeninstalled. Other methods of making storage resistant tamper resistantare also known in the art and can be used.

Turning first to FIG. 1, a system diagram showing the components of oneembodiment of the invention is depicted. In some embodiments, lenshousing 100 is a streamlined, miniature shape as depicted in FIGS. 2 and3. In some embodiments, lens housing 100 is less than or equal to teninches long. In other embodiments, lens housing 100 measures less thanor equal to six inches in length. In still other embodiments, lenshousing 100 measures less than or equal to four inches in length. In yetother embodiments, lens housing 100 measures less than or equal to twoinches long. In some embodiments, lens housing 100 is less than or equalto one and one-half inches in diameter. In other embodiments, lenshousing 100 is less than or equal to one inch in diameter. In stillother embodiments, lens housing is less than or equal to one-half inchin diameter. In other embodiments, lens housing 100 is a head-mounteddisplay form factor incorporating an eyepiece. In yet other embodiments,lens housing 100 is a low profile, lapel- or epaulet-mounted formfactor. Other form factors for lens housing 100 are also possible.

Mounted inside lens housing 100 are lens assemblies 102 and 104. In someembodiments, additional lens assemblies may also be present. Each suchlens assembly has an optical axis, defined as the ray passing throughthe center of the lens and oriented in the direction the lens assemblyis pointed. Thus, the optical axis determines the field of view for thelens assembly. In one embodiment, lens assemblies 102 and 104 arefixedly mounted in lens housing 100 such that their optical axes arereciprocal. In another embodiment lens assemblies 102 and 104 aremounted in lens housing 100 such that their lens assemblies are skew.Such lens orientations are discussed in greater detail with respect toFIG. 4. In still another embodiment, one or both of lens assemblies 102and 104 are rotatably mounted to lens housing such that their opticalaxes can be adjusted according to need. Such rotatable mounts may befreely rotatable in a plane or along two axes, and may have one or moredetents determining preset positions.

Each of lens assemblies 102 and 104 is operable to provide a video feedof video data. While reference is made to “video data” and “videofeeds,” In some embodiments, lens assemblies 102 and 104 may instead, orin addition, record still image data. In some such embodiments, one oflens assembly 102 and 104 will record video data and the other willrecord still image data.

In certain embodiments, lens housing 100 may also include a display 106.In some such embodiments, an actuator is included to switch display 106between the available video feeds from lens assemblies 102, 104 or otherlens assemblies or no feed. In some such embodiments, the actuator ismounted in lens housing 100, display 106, or battery housing 108. Insome embodiments, display 106 may be a monocular display for displayingthe video feed from lens assembly 102, lens assembly 104, or both. Inother embodiments, display is a glassless holographic display. Wherepresent, display 106 generally may be any form of image displaytechnology now known or hereafter discovered invented. In someembodiments, display 106 is not integrated into lens housing 100, butrather removably attached, either directly or via a cable or wirelessconnection. In other embodiments, display is not connected to lenshousing 100 directly, but rather via battery housing 108.

In some embodiments, lens housing 100 will also have an attachment point110 for connecting to one of a variety of suitable mounts. Thisattachment point may be purely mechanical, or may incorporate dataconnections for connection to display 106, battery housing 108, and/orother peripheral units. Examples of such attachment points include screwmounts, clip mounts, ball-and-socket mounts, friction mounts, and snapmounts. Any type of mounting hardware, now known or hereafter discoveredmay be used.

In some embodiments, lens housing 100 is connected to battery housing108 via cable 112. In some embodiments, cable 112 provides power to lensassemblies 102 and 104, and other components mounted in or attached tolens housing 100. In other embodiments, cable 112 incorporatesunidirectional or bidirectional data connections between componentsmounted in or attached to lens housing 100 and components mounted in orattached to battery housing 108. In these embodiments, cable 112 iscommunicatively coupled to lens assemblies 102 and 104. In some suchembodiments, cable 112 is further communicatively coupled to display106. In some embodiments, cable 112 is not connected directly to lenshousing 100, but rather indirectly via a mount connected to attachmentpoint 110 or otherwise. In still other embodiments, communicationbetween lens housing 100 and battery housing 108 is a wirelessconnection such as that provided by a personal-area network (PAN), andthere is no physical connection between the two housings.

In some embodiments where it is present, cable 112 also connects tobattery housing 108. In other embodiments, there may not be a separatebattery housing 108, but rather all of the components described hereinare mounted in lens housing 100. In other embodiments, some of thecomponents described here as mounted in battery housing 108 are insteadmounted in lens housing 100. Similar to lens housing 100, in someembodiments, battery housing 108 also has an attachment point 114.Attachment point 114 can take the form of a spring clip for attachmentto clothing or a belt, or can be a universal connector that can attachto a variety of mounts. Other forms of attachment point 114 are alsopossible.

In some embodiments, power supply 116 is mounted in battery housing 108.In some embodiments, power supply 116 is a set of rechargeable batterycells. These cells can be removable for recharging or chargeable via anexternal connection. In other embodiments, power supply is one or morenon-rechargeable batteries. In still other embodiments, power supply 116is a fuel cell or micro-turbine. Any form of power supply, now known orhereafter invented may be used as power supply 116. It is an advantageof embodiments of the invention with separate lens housing 100 andbattery housing 108 that the weight and volume consumed by power supply116 is separated from lens housing 100, allowing lens housing to be morecomfortably mounted on the user's body, such as in a head-mountedconfiguration. In some embodiments, power supply is electrically coupledto lens assemblies 102 and 104. In other assemblies, it is furtherelectrically coupled to display 106. Power supply 116 may also beelectrically coupled to other components mounted in battery housing 108.In some embodiments, separate power supplies may be provided forcomponents in lens housing 100 and battery housing 108.

In some embodiments, battery housing 108 also contains controllercircuitry 118. In various embodiments, controller circuitry 118 performsdifferent functions associated with the operation of the camera unitincluding video encoding, trigger event detection, storage management,and input/output (I/O) control, as well as other functions known in theart. Controller circuitry 118 may take the form of a microcontroller,microprocessor, or special-purpose controller circuitry. Controllercircuitry 118 may also incorporate one or more computer-readable mediafor storing device firmware. Controller circuitry 118 is electricallycoupled to power source 116, and communicatively coupled to lensassemblies 102 and 104 as well as various components installed inbattery housing 108, including storage memories such as volatile memory120 and non-volatile memory 122, sensors such as sensor 124, and I/Oports and controllers such as I/O unit 126. One exemplary method ofoperation for controller circuitry 118 is depicted in FIG. 5.

Encoded video data and other data processed by controller circuitry 118may be stored in one or more memories such as volatile memory 120 ornon-volatile memory 122. In one embodiment, video is recordedcontinuously, along with any relevant metadata, and stored in volatilememory 120. When a triggering event occurs, the contents of volatilememory 120 are transferred to non-volatile memory 122, and incomingvideo is also stored in non-volatile memory. In other embodiments, twonon-volatile or volatile memories are used. In yet other embodiments, asingle memory is used. In some single-memory embodiments, all video datais stored to non-volatile memory 122. In other single-memoryembodiments, a triggering event initiated the recording and storage ofdata. In some embodiments, non-volatile memory 122, volatile memory 120,or both provide authenticated, tamper-resistant storage such thatrecorded data can be used as evidence in legal proceedings. In someembodiments, controller circuitry 118 uses a device-specific key todigitally sign or otherwise authenticate video recordings. In someembodiments, non-volatile memory 122 is a removable memory card. In somesuch embodiments, non-volatile memory is write-once, read-many (WORM)memory. In general, the storage memories used in embodiments of theinvention can be any data storage media known in the art as describedherein or invented in the future. In some embodiments, battery housing108 has no persistent storage memory, and video data that is to beretained is transmitted in real time over a network to a remote datastore. In other embodiments, data to be retained is both stored locallyand transmitted to a remote data store.

In some embodiments, additional sensors such as sensor 124 are presentin battery housing 108, lens housing 100, or elsewhere. Such sensors mayprovide data to supplement the video data provided by lens assemblies102 and 104. Examples of such sensors include a microphone for recordingaudio data, a radio receiver for recording radio transmissions, aglobal-positioning system (GPS) receiver for recording position data,one or more accelerometers for recording movement and acceleration data,and a radio-frequency identifier (RFID) receiver for recording thepresence of nearby RFID tags such as RFID tag 128 in other units. RFIDtag 128 can, in turn, be read by sensors present in other camera units,or by readers in an associated system such as a unit mounted in a patrolcar. Such associated systems may also have their own RFID tags. Althoughthe above discussion references RFID tags and readers, any wirelesssignaling mechanism can be used to similar effect. Additional sensors,such as a holster event sensor, may be directly or wirelessly connected.Sensor 124 may include or take the form of other sensors andtransceivers now known or hereafter invented.

In some embodiments, battery housing 108 or lens housing 100 may alsocontain an I/O unit such as I/O unit 126. Such an I/O unit may allowadditional modules such as those containing additional sensors to beattached. In some embodiments, I/O unit allows data from storagememories 120 and 122 to be transferred off of the device. In otherembodiments, it allows controller circuitry 118 to be reprogrammed. Inyet other embodiments, it allows power supply 116 to be recharged. Itwill be apparent to a person skilled in the art that I/O unit 126 mayperform all of these functions, individually or in parallel.

Turning now to FIG. 2, two views of one embodiment of the lens housingare presented. FIG. 2(a) presents a front-right perspective view. Asdepicted, lens housing 100 is comprised of forward lens housing 10 andrear lens housing 12. Forward lens housing 10 contains forward lensassembly 14, corresponding to first lens assembly 102 in FIG. 1.Similarly, rear lens housing 12 contains rear lens assembly 16,corresponding to second lens assembly 104 in FIG. 1. In this embodiment,forward lens housing 10 and rear lens housing 12 are fixedly attachedsuch that forward lens assembly 14 and rear lens assembly 16 areoriented such that they have reciprocal optical axes. In one embodiment,forward lens housing 10 and rear lens housing 12 are formed into asingle integral unit. In another embodiment, they are formed separatelybut permanently attached. In still another embodiment, rear lensassembly 12 is removeably attached to front assembly 10. In some suchembodiments, modular assemblies may be used such that front lensassembly 14 and/or rear lens assembly 16 can be substituted with awide-angle or zoom lens as the occasion requires. FIG. 2(b) shows arear-right perspective view of this embodiment, further illustrating thearrangement of the above-described components. FIG. 2(b) further depictsmounting clip 18, corresponding to attachment point 110 in FIG. 1. Here,mounting clip 18 is suitably positioned for attachment to the right sideof the user's head or body. Mounting clip 18 allows lens housing 100 tobe attached to a wide variety of interchangeable mounts. Examples ofsuch mounts include an earpiece, a headband, a hat clip, a shoulderclip, an epaulet mount, an eyeglass mount, and a collar mount. Ingeneral, mounts can include, but are not limited to, any way ofattaching lens housing 100 to the user's body.

Also shown is port 20, which, in this embodiment, accepts cable 112. Itis an advantage of this embodiment of the invention that the separationbetween lens housing 100 and battery housing 108 allows the depictedbattery housing to be much smaller and more compact than is possiblewith single unit with all of the components depicted in lens housing 100and battery housing 108 mounted in a single housing. As shown, lenshousing 100 is less than two inches in length and one-half inch indiameter.

Turning now to FIG. 3, three views of an alternate embodiment of thelens housing are presented. FIG. 3(a) depicts a front-right perspectiveview corresponding to FIG. 2(a). In this embodiment, forward lenshousing 10 and rear lens housing 12, rather than being an integral unit,are rotatably attached by pivot 22. Pivot 22 rotates around an axisnormal to the ground and defines the common plane of the respectiveoptical axes of front lens assembly 14 and rear lens assembly 16. FIG.3(b), corresponding to the right-rear perspective view of FIG. 2(b),further depicts the arrangements of the rotatable rear lens housing. Asdiscussed above, rear lens housing 12 may be freely rotatable or pivot22 may have a number of detents corresponding to preselected angles. Forexample, detents may be included for positions of rear lens housing 12such that rear lens assembly 16 is angled 90°, 180°, or 270° from frontlens assembly 14. In another embodiment, detents additionally beincluded corresponding to angles or 45°, 135°, 225° and 315°. In anotherembodiment, pivot 22 is a friction pivot such that rear lens assemblycan be adjusted such that rear lens assembly 16 and front lens assembly14 form any angle. In still another embodiment, pivot 22 is a screw-typepivot such that it can be loosened, the angle between rear lens assembly16 and front lens assembly 14 adjusted, and re-tightened such that theangle remains fixed. In yet another embodiment, both front lens housing10 and rear lens housing 12 rotate around pivot 22 such that they can beindependently oriented. FIG. 3(c) depicts an overhead view of thisembodiment, more clearly illustrating the skew orientation of therespective optical axes of front lens assembly 14 and rear lens assembly16. It is an advantage of this embodiment that the skew angle can beadjusted by rotating rear lens housing 12 about pivot 22.

Turning now to FIG. 4, three representative orientations of lensassemblies are presented. FIG. 4(a) depicts a parallel orientation ofthe optical axes of two lens assemblies. Such orientations are alsoreferred to as “paraxial.” While paraxial lens assemblies do not providea notably larger field of view than that provided by a single lensassembly, the distance between the lens assemblies can provide parallaxand therefore depth information. FIG. 4(b) depicts reciprocal opticalaxes. Such a lens arrangement has the advantage of providing the largestpossible field of view, but, depending on the particular lensassemblies, has a blind spot near the lens assemblies themselves. Forexample, in a head-mounted configuration, there may be no coverage ofthe area immediately behind the user's back. FIG. 4(c) depicts skewreciprocal axes. As used herein, skew axes refer to an orientation thatis neither parallel nor reciprocal without regard to whether the axesare coplanar. A skew orientation of optical axes can have severaladvantages, particularly when the angle between the axes is adjustable.For example, in a head-mounted configuration, one lens can be angled tocover the user's back while on foot, and adjusted to cover the view outa side window while driving.

Turning now to FIG. 5, an exemplary method suitable for use with oneembodiment of the camera unit is depicted. The method begins at step 500when the unit powers on. At this point, controller circuitry such ascontroller circuitry 118 begins receiving data signals from the lensassemblies such as lens assembly 102 and lens assembly 104. This data iscombined with any data from supplementary sensors such as sensor 124 andencoded in real time as is known in the art. At step 502, this data isstored in volatile memory 120 until volatile memory 120 is full, atwhich point writing begins again at the beginning of volatile memory120, progressively overwriting the oldest data in the manner of acircular buffer. In this manner a continuous recording of all data ismaintained for a period of time proportional to the size of volatilememory 120 and inversely proportional to the rate at which encoded datais generated. As a person skilled in the art will appreciate,non-volatile memory may also be used in the place of volatile memory120.

Next, at step 504, a triggering event is detected. Such triggering eventcan be any event suggesting that a record of the immediately precedingand/or succeeding events should be retained. A first class of triggeringevents relates to circumstances around the user. For example, the usertriggering the siren and/or light bar of a patrol cruiser might be atriggering event. Alternately, a velocity or acceleration reading,either from the cruiser or from integrated velocity and/or sensors suchas sensor 124 may be a triggering event. For example, a velocity of theuser wearing the housing 100 may be a triggering event, such as the userrunning as opposed to walking. Similarly, a vehicle crash, detected byan accelerometer reading, airbag deployment, or similar stimulus, mightbe a trigger event. Additionally, a positional reading could be atriggering event. Such a positional reading could be absolute (forexample, entering or exiting a particular geo-fenced area) or relative(for example, moving more than a particular distance from a patrolcruiser or other fixed or mobile point of reference).

Such a sensor-related triggering event may be generated directly by thesensor, or by a recording device manager, such as a Digital Ally®VuLink®, that controls and synchronizes various recording devices. Forexample, the recording device manager may communicate (via wirelesscommunication, wired communication, or both) to sensors such asdescribed herein, one or more person-mounted camera units, avehicle-mounted video camera oriented to observe events external to thevehicle, a vehicle-mounted video camera oriented to observe eventsinternal to the vehicle, and/or one or more storage storage elements. Insome embodiments, the recording device manager detects when one videocamera begins recording, and then instructs all other associated devicesto begin recording. The recording device manager may also sendinformation indicative of a time stamp to the various recording devicesfor corroborating the recorded data.

For example, the recording device manager may instruct all associatedvideo cameras to begin recording upon the receipt of a signal from asensor such as a breath analyzer that a breath analysis has begun. Thisensures that multiple video cameras record the breath analysis, forfuture authentication that the breath analysis was performed correctly.The recording device manager may also send a time stamp to all theassociated video cameras to provide a corroboration of the variousrecorded data.

A second class of triggering events relates to the user. For example, asensor configured to detect when a holster cover is opened or when aweapon is removed from the holster could generate a triggering event.Another form of user-related triggering event could come in the form ofone or more biometric stress indications (such as elevated heart rate,blood pressure respiration, etc.) obtained from biometric sensors wornby the user. Similarly, audio data could generate triggering events ifraised voices or high levels of vocal stress are detected.

A third class of triggering events relates to context recognition fromthe data being collected. For example, when controller circuitry 118detects that the video data it is processing contains a face, atriggering event could be generated. Alternately, this functionalitycould be limited to the recognition of a particular face (for example,if the user sees a face matching a photograph provided with a warrant,or on a wanted poster, a trigger event could be generated). Suchtriggering events can, in some embodiments, be limited to a particularvideo stream. For example, face detection could only act as a triggeringevent when the rear camera detects the face; i.e., when a personapproaches the user from behind. Similar recognition algorithms can beapplied to other data streams as well; for example, the audio signatureof a gunshot could be a triggering event, or the positional signature ofevasive maneuvering.

Finally, a triggering signal can be generated manually by the user or,in embodiments where data is streamed to a remote date store, by aremote observer. Of course, a person of skill in the art will recognizethat a wide variety of triggering signals are possible and variationsand combinations of the above will be apparent.

In response to the triggering signal, at step 506, controller circuitry118 copies the contents of volatile memory 120 to non-volatile memory122. In this way, a permanent record is created of not merely eventsfollowing the trigger signal, but of those preceding it was well. Thistransfer process continues at step 508 as new data is stored to volatilememory 120, in effect recording the live data to non-volatile memory 122as well. In some embodiments, after a trigger signal is detected, datais recorded directly to the non-volatile memory instead of indirectlyvia the volatile memory.

Finally, at step 510, the trigger event ends. How this occurs will varyin different embodiments and with different trigger events. In someembodiments, recording to non-volatile memory 122 will continue untilthe end of shift for the user. In other embodiments, it will continueuntil non-volatile memory 122 is full. In still other embodiments itwill continue until the camera unit is powered down, or until the usermanually deactivates it. Additionally, some trigger events can terminateon their own. For example, if the user leaving their patrol car is atrigger event, then returning to the car may end the triggering event,either immediately or after some predetermined delay. Similarly, ifelevated biometric readings generate a trigger event, then a return tonormal levels may terminate, perhaps with a delay or some level ofhysteresis. In some embodiments, the user may be able to manually cancela trigger event, while in other embodiments this may be undesirable. Atthis point, processing returns to step 502 to await further triggersignals.

Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as wellas components not shown, are possible without departing from the scopeof the claims below. Embodiments of the invention have been describedwith the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternativeembodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after andbecause of reading it. Alternative means of implementing theaforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of theclaims below. Certain features and subcombinations are of utility andmay be employed without reference to other features and subcombinationsand are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Although theinvention has been described with reference to the embodimentsillustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted thatequivalents may be employed and substitutions made herein withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims.

Having thus described various embodiments of the invention, what isclaimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includesthe following:

1. A camera unit comprising: a first lens assembly having a firstoptical axis; a second lens assembly having a second optical axis beingdifferent than and generally opposed to the first optical axis; ahousing containing both the first lens assembly and the second lensassembly, wherein the second lens assembly is rotatably mounted suchthat the second optical axis is configured to allow manual rotationrelative to the first optical axis; a memory element for storingrecorded video data from both the first lens assembly and the secondlens assembly; and a controller configured to— receive video data fromthe first lens assembly and the second lens assembly and store the videodata and a timestamp as metadata for synchronizing the video data;receive an indication that an external camera has received aninstruction to record; receive an identifier associated with theexternal camera; write the identifier as metadata associated with thevideo data; and upload the recorded video data to an external computingdevice, wherein the identifier allows the recorded data to besubsequently linked with video data from the external camera.
 2. Thecamera unit of claim 1, wherein the first optical axis is configured tobe oriented toward an interior of a law enforcement vehicle, wherein thesecond optical axis is configured to be generally outward from the lawenforcement vehicle.
 3. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein theinstruction to record is automatically triggered by a triggering event.4. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein the controller is furtherconfigured to instruct recording to begin upon said receiving of theindication that the external camera has received an instruction torecord.
 5. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein the camera unit is avehicle recording device operable to record video data and audio data,wherein the vehicle recording device is operable to be mounted in a lawenforcement vehicle.
 6. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein the cameraunit is a personal recording device operable to record video data andaudio data, wherein the personal recording device is operable to be wornby a law enforcement officer.
 7. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein thecamera unit is an infrared camera.
 8. The camera unit of claim 1,wherein the identifier is a unique serial number that is indicative ofan unalterable serial number of the external camera.
 9. The camera unitof claim 1, wherein the external camera stores a second identifierassociated with the camera unit in video data recorded by the externalcamera.
 10. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein the external computingdevice is a smartphone carried by a law enforcement officer, wherein thesmartphone is configured to display the recorded data.
 11. The cameraunit of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to send a signalindicative that recording has begun.
 12. The camera unit of claim 1,wherein the external camera is within a certain range of the camera unitwhen said indication that an external camera has received an instructionto record is received.
 13. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein thecontroller is further configured to: store a location indication wherethe data was recorded in metadata; and continue to record untilreceiving an instruction to stop recording from a law enforcementofficer.
 14. The camera unit of claim 1, wherein the camera unit is avideo camera, wherein the storing recorded data is performed by storingpre-event buffer data
 15. The camera unit of claim 14, wherein thepre-event buffer data includes video data without audio data whereinmoving to a recording status begins recording audio data.
 16. A systemcomprising: a first camera unit; and a second camera unit including— afirst lens assembly having a first optical axis; a second lens assemblyhaving a second optical axis being different than and generally opposedto the first optical axis; a housing containing both the first lensassembly and the second lens assembly, wherein the second lens assemblyis rotatably mounted such that the second optical axis is configured toallow manual rotation relative to the first optical axis; a memoryelement for storing video data both the first lens assembly and thesecond lens assembly; and a controller configured to— receive video datafrom the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly and store thevideo data and a timestamp as metadata for synchronizing the video data;receive an indication that the first camera unit has received aninstruction to record; receive an identifier associated with theexternal camera; write the identifier as metadata associated with therecorded data; and upload the recorded video data to an externalcomputing device, wherein the identifier allows the recorded data to besubsequently linked with video data from the external camera.
 17. Thesystem of claim 16, wherein the storing video data is performed bystoring pre-event buffer data, wherein the pre-event buffer dataincludes video data without audio data, wherein moving to a recordingstatus begins recording audio data.
 18. The system of claim 16, whereinthe second camera unit is a vehicle recording device operable to recordvideo data and audio data, wherein the vehicle recording device isoperable to be mounted in a law enforcement vehicle, wherein the firstcamera unit is a personal recording device operable to record video dataand audio data, wherein the personal recording device is operable to beworn by a law enforcement officer.
 19. The system of claim 16, whereinthe external camera is within a certain range of the second camera unitwherein the controller is configured to send a signal indicative thatrecording has begun.
 20. A system comprising: a first camera unit; and asecond camera unit including— a first lens assembly having a firstoptical axis; a second lens assembly having a second optical axis beingdifferent than and generally opposed to the first optical axis; ahousing containing both the first lens assembly and the second lensassembly, wherein the second lens assembly is rotatably mounted suchthat the second optical axis is configured to allow manual relative tothe first optical axis; a memory element for storing video data both thefirst lens assembly and the second lens assembly; and a controllerconfigured to— receive video data from the first lens assembly and thesecond lens assembly and store the video data and a timestamp asmetadata for synchronizing the video data; wherein the first camera unitis within a certain range of the second camera unit; receive anidentifier associated with the first camera unit; send a signalindicative that recording has begun; write the identifier as metadataassociated with the recorded data; and upload the recorded video data toan external computing device, wherein the identifier allows the recordeddata to be subsequently linked with video data from the external camera.